Page 11 of Necessary Roughness

Sloane

I was mostly able to focus during class, although it wasn’t easy with Logan’s broad-shouldered frame being directly in my line of sight at all times. He had a nervous habit of running his hand through his hair every couple of minutes, which immediately drew my attention.

I could still remember the way his hair felt between my fingers as we kissed. Most of that night was a blur, but I definitely wasn’t going to forget about that any time soon. And the more I thought about it, the more those butterflies spun in my gut like a tornado.

But that feeling didn’t go away after class.

If anything, it intensified when I walked home from campus.

I felt overwhelmed with all my classwork, a mountain of work that now loomed over me like a dozen swords of Damocles.

I tried on seven sun dresses before deciding that jeans and a T-shirt were fine.

I still had three hours to kill before I was supposed to meet them, so I paced around my living room while reviewing one of my class reading assignments.

“Are you going on a date or something?” Morgan asked while making dinner.

“No.”

“You look like you’re going on a date.”

“Why do you say that?”

“You’re wearing way too much makeup,” she casually replied. “I won’t say what you look like. But it’s a lot .”

Groaning, I went to the bathroom and reexamined myself. I’d put on a touch more blush than normal, but I didn’t think it was too much.

When I returned to the living room, Morgan said, “I hope you haven’t forgotten our rules about visitors.”

“ Your rules,” I corrected. “I don’t care what visitors you have over.”

She went on like she hadn’t heard me. “All visitors need to be added to the spreadsheet prior to a visit. I care about my safety.”

“I’m not bringing anyone over tonight,” I insisted.

Morgan clicked her tongue. “You say that now…”

I was already an anxious mess, but my roommate’s comments were the last straw. I wasn’t going to survive another ten minutes of anticipation, let alone another hour before I was supposed to leave.

Class. Exams. Papers. Hooking up with two new guys. Despite my excitement, it was all too much, so I did what felt easiest: I pulled out my phone and hit the metaphorical eject button.

Me: Sorry for the last-minute text, but I need to cancel tonight. I’m not feeling good. I think I’m getting sick.

Knox: Are you sure you’re not just nervous? Because you can tell us if so. No shame.

There was my opening. They were inviting me to be completely honest with them. I could bluntly admit I was getting cold feet. It would be easy.

But the thought of being that vulnerable with two guys I barely knew was too much. So I lied.

Me: I’m definitely sick. Thanks though. Rain check for next week, maybe?

Logan: Yeah, no worries.

Knox: We understand.

Logan: I’m kind of shocked that your janky-ass phone can send a group text.

Me: It has all the functionality of a phone. Texts and calls. Now, all that other smartphone bullshit? That’s what it cuts out.

Knox: I have a magic rectangle in my hand that can instantly summon an infinite amount of cat photos on demand, and you think that’s bullshit?

Me: Yes. That’s definitely bullshit.

Logan: Don’t forget porn! Infinite boobs at our fingertips!

Logan: I love my magic rectangle.

Knox: Hope you’re feeling better, Sloane. If you can’t make it to class tomorrow, I’ll send you the notes.

Me: Thanks. Hopefully it’s just a 24-hour bug.

I sighed with relief once that was done. One less expectation to worry about. Now I could relax and focus on the first paper I needed to write.

But I did feel sad about canceling. Like I was missing out on a new experience. Because even though I had asked for a rain check, my cancellation felt like it was more permanent.

I was able to sit down and outline my paper for the next hour. When I took a break, I decided to call Jayden.

“There’s my favorite Sloane,” he answered.

“I’m your only Sloane. And I have some juicy gossip for you.”

He groaned. “I’d love to hear it, but right now I’m in the middle of an online lecture. Tell me about it tomorrow?”

“Okay, but it’s really juicy…”

“Give me a hint.”

“I kind of, sort of, made a sex agreement with Knox and Logan.”

“EXCUSE ME WHAT?”

“I’ll give you the details tomorrow.”

“Bitch, don’t even,” he snapped. “I can’t go back to listening to my lecture now. Are you at home? I’ll be over in fifteen.”

“No! Stay there. I’m trying to focus on writing a paper.”

But he had already hung up.

When I turned around, Morgan was staring at me. “My friend is coming over. Jayden. He’s on the approved list.”

She nodded once. “This is acceptable.”

I had to turn around so she couldn’t see me roll my eyes. A week together and I was already getting sick of her. She acted like this was her apartment, rather than us being co-renters!

Jayden arrived a lot quicker than I expected—and his twin was with him. “We ran some stop signs,” Bryson explained when I commented on it.

“Why are we talking about traffic?” Jayden demanded. “Honey, tell us everything .”

Morgan closed her textbook, sighed, then stood up from the couch. “Since you’re apparently occupying the living room now, I’m going to study in my room. I’m waiting on Chinese food to be delivered, so please answer the door when it arrives.”

“Is the delivery guy on the approved visitor list?” I deadpanned.

“That is only for visitors who enter the apartment,” she replied with an amount of seriousness normally reserved for Secret Service agents.

As soon as Morgan was gone, the twins raised their eyebrows at me. “Approved visitor list?” Bryson asked.

Jayden slapped at him. “No. Shut up. We can listen to roommate drama later. What is this about a sex agreement?”

I spent a few minutes catching them up on everything that had happened this week.

“You waited three business days to tell us about this?” Bryson demanded.

“I was waiting until something actually happened. In case it didn’t pan out.”

“Speaking of panning out, you may not be aware of the time and/or date, but it’s Thursday night right freaking now,” Jayden hissed. “When are you guys doing this? Do you need to leave soon? Or did it happen before we got here?” He started sniffing the air.

“Ew, gross! Stop that!”

“It doesn’t smell like sex,” he muttered. “But hey! This is the perfect situation for you! Hot, sweaty, hetero group sex with beautiful football gods! With no strings attached! I’d throw my brother in front of a bus for that kind of opportunity.”

Bryson flinched. “Dude, I’m right here .”

“I said what I said. Honey, this is amazing!”

Bryson made a face.

“What?” I asked. “You don’t look like you agree.”

“It’s not that I disagree,” he said carefully. “I just want you to be careful. This is a crazy thing to agree to at the beginning of the semester. Especially so soon after you and Troy broke up.”

“I thought it’s the perfect thing after Troy,” I countered.

“This is like a pre-approved rebound situation, but without any pesky expectations. It’s just sex.

Like a lifeboat to keep me afloat after the SS Troy hit an iceberg.

And once it’s all out of my system, I can think about finding an actual relationship again. ”

Bryson made another face.

“You still don’t agree?” I asked.

“You’re definitely the buzzkill twin,” Jayden muttered.

Bryson slowly cocked his head. “Do you remember Janet?”

“That girl from sophomore year?”

“She and I had a fuck-buddy situation,” Bryson explained. “Very casual. Only sex. It was great. We would meet up, bang it out, then not speak at all until we wanted to hook up again.”

“So you’re allowed to talk about all the hetero sex you’ve had,” Jayden complained, “but I can’t say that I want to get Eiffel Tower’d by a pair of swoony football players?”

“That situation sounds great,” I pointed out to Bryson. “That’s exactly what I want.”

“Except eventually, it wasn’t great,” Bryson went on. “Janet started hanging out longer, before and after sex. She started blowing up my phone all day, every day. It was clear she wanted something more than sex, but I didn’t. We had a fight about it, and it ended badly.”

“Okay, so what?” I asked. “If it ends badly, then I’ll forget about it and move on. Unless you’re saying I’ll be the one to develop feelings and get hurt.”

“I do have concerns about that, but that’s not the point I’m trying to make,” Bryson replied.

“Janet was just another student. She shit-talked me to all of her friends, but otherwise there weren’t any long-lasting consequences.

But Knox and Logan? They’re campus celebrities.

What if everyone finds out about your arrangement? ”

“I don’t see how—”

“People watch what they do,” Bryson insisted.

“The Deltas have an entire network of gossipers who know which athletes are single, and who is dating whom. They’re basically Littlefinger from Game of Thrones, with eyes and ears everywhere on campus.

Are you prepared for that kind of scrutiny?

How would you react if the entire student body thought you were a slut? ”

“Hey!” I protested.

Bryson held up his palms. “I don’t like using that word. And it’s not how I feel about the situation. But it’s absolutely what other people might think. If one of the sororities finds out you’re banging two of their coveted football players, they will destroy your reputation.”

Jayden grimaced, but nodded. “He’s right. There are a lot of catty bitches at this school.”

I narrowed my eyes at him. “Ironic hearing you say that.”

“Yes!” he exclaimed. “I am a catty bitch! That’s how I know there are so many like me in a three-mile radius!”

I shrugged. “I think you’re overestimating how much attention this would generate. I share a class with both of them, so we can always claim we’re studying.”

“Sloane…” Bryson said gently.

“This isn’t high school,” I insisted. “It’s college. We’re all adults here. We can be mature about things. Nobody cares about who is sleeping with whom.”

“Honey,” Jayden said, “that’s the most na?ve thing you’ve ever said.”

A knock came at the door.

“I’ll get it,” Jayden said, popping up from the couch. “I want to see if your roommate flips out about me delivering her food. Then I vote we make some popcorn and watch a comfort movie. I’m done studying for tonight.”

I felt myself perk up. “I’m down for that!”

“A comedy,” Bryson said. “Nothing dumb.”

“A romantic comedy,” Jayden countered.

While he went to the door, Bryson shook his head at me. “I’m not against this situation, Sloane. I think it’s really fucking cool. I just want to make sure you don’t get hurt.”

I put my hand on his. “I do appreciate your concern. But honestly, it doesn’t matter. I actually got cold feet and canceled tonight’s hook-up.”

“Ah, too bad,” he replied.

“Um, it’s not the Chinese food,” Jayden shouted from the front door. “It’s something a lot more delicious.”

He stepped aside, revealing Knox and Logan.